OTT CYM Mission 12 – And The Beat Goes On – 27th September 1916
“Do you ever wonder that to win, somebody’s got to lose” (The Whispers)
This mission takes place during The Battle of Thiepval Ridge 26th- 28th September 1916.
It involves artillery cooperation, to destroy enemy targets, using a trial flight pattern that will shortly be introduced, as standard, to the RFC.
With a British attack intended, on German positions on Thiepval Ridge, the objectives of ground troops will not only be the German trench positions, but will include two redoubts, Schwaben and Stuff. In preparation, Entente aircraft are required to target the artillery positions in these redoubts, whilst Central Powers aircraft are required to target the British artillery that threatens their own. You will attempt to fulfill the mission from one side or the other.
You have two aircraft at the start: One two seater and one scout as escort, plus a second two seater should the first be lost or forced to retire before fulfilling its orders. Your choice of aircraft from whatever was available at the time.
The enemy have two scouts plus one in reserve, should it be necessary, as above.
Set up – Use the equivalent of two mats placed long edges together, one friendly and one enemy. Two target locations will be placed on the enemy mat at the start of the mission (See photo). The mission will continue until both targets, are destroyed or the mission has failed, after which all aircraft still flying will call it a day and head home. Failure is not an option though – you hope!
The two seater will start the mission as per the photo, pointing towards the mid point between the two target objectives. The scout may start in any position, with part or all of its’ rear base edge within a half range ruler measure of its home base line. These aircraft to be placed before placing your enemy.
The enemy scouts should be placed randomly, with all or part of their rear base edges on their “home base” long or side edges, facing the two seater i.e. not touching the centre line between the two mats.
Objectives:
Two seater(s): Destroy targets through the observer calling in artillery fire.
Friendly Scout: Defend the two seater(s) and destroy enemy aircraft.
Enemy scouts, destroy any enemy two seater that attempts to call artillery fire onto your positions.
The two seater(s) must fly a pattern to call the shots, observe the fall of those shots and make corrections. The player will need to control the two seater in order to do this successfully. Calls to “fire” or to make corrections, must result from the aircraft having been within two range stick measures of any part of the target, immediately prior to the call. On any one target, each shot will result in a 2D6 roll of the dice. To destroy the target the score must be 10 or more. The first call per target is dice only, the second call adds 4 to the rolls, the third call adds six.
Aircraft Artillery cooperation flight pattern
You will be attempting to use the diagram below, using straights plus left and right turns only, unless enemy action dictates otherwise. It will be noted that a complete cycle for a two seater will allow both targets to be fired upon once.
The diagram shows the pattern standardised for RFC pilots arising from experiences from early during the Battle of the Somme, theirs being with those calls numbered “1” only. Those marked “2” are added for the convenience of this mission. The pattern was deemed necessary because during this period the long aerial for the radio had to be facing the receiver on the ground to be fully effective. You will therefore attempt this pattern, but, be warned, that the movement cards won’t like it. So you will need to be imaginative in their use. This means you will need to make adjustments to the pattern, because the movement cards will not permit the exact pattern prescribed. It can be done, but if you find it too frustrating, the alternative is to fly any pattern you wish e.g. circles, but remember; to signal “fire” or make “corrections” your aircraft must be facing its own lines. Observation of the fall of shots is permitted from any direction, for the sake of the mission.
Meanwhile the enemy scouts should do their job. They will have one replacement scout should either of the initial two be shot down or forced to retire. You, on the other hand, can only replace the two seater, once. All replacements starting from the original starting line / point.
Normal rules will apply, including the rule about observers being unable to do two things at once! Miss a call or observation opportunity and its “start again” as soon as the aircraft is in the correct position.
Diagram of RFC Artillery cooperation flight pattern
Source: The war in the air; being the story of the part played in the Great War by the Royal Air Force by author H A Jones - Volume III page 311
In this photo an RFC Sopwith 1 ½ Strutter is placed 1 range ruler measure from the bottom and left hand edges of its friendly mat, pointing at the mid point between the two targets on the enemy mat.
Two targets have been placed on the enemy mat, 1 ½ range ruler measure from a side edge and 1 range ruler distance in from the centre line between the mats.
The friendly scout, not shown, may be placed anywhere, facing any direction, so long as part of its rear base is no further from its home base long edge than ½ a range ruler measure.
Two enemy scouts, also not shown, may then be placed, randomly, so long as part of their base is touching any edge of the enemy mat except the centre line. They should be placed facing the opposition two seater.
Victory Points: Ground target destroyed 10 points; two seater shot down (SD) or forced to retire (FRTB) 15 points; Scout SD or FTRB 5 points.
Notes: This was trialed using a Sopwith 1 ½ Strutter. Most of the fun / difficulties arose from trying to work out a flight pattern that would work, approximately, with the manoeuver cards in the deck. You are permitted to trial this yourself before setting up to play the mission (After all it is HQ that will order the standardisation of this flight path). If desperate and still determined to use the prescribed flight pattern, I can provide a set of manouevers that work for this aircraft. I haven’t trialed it with any CP aircraft – sorry guys! And, of course, this does not allow for rudder jams, engine trouble or fire :0
No doubt I have overlooked many things, so questions will be answered, as usual, to the best of my ability.
Chau for now,
Mike
Bookmarks